• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Metroid Prime Remastered |OT| Once More Through Tallon IV

NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
After all these years, I still don’t know how to effectively deal with Trooper Pirates - the ones with elemental armor.
Their energy is just absurd, no other mob is that resistant and it makes the Phazon Mines a true chore. In Hard Mode the first descent into the Mines is maddening. These guys take like 5+ charged shots each, move around constantly, punch ridiculously hard, clearly anticipate your movements, and if they surround you it’s a miracle if you get out of the room alive. Your energy just melts away when you’re dealing with Troopers. I’ve read that Power Bombs can one-hit kill them, but you have so precious few of them and there’s so many of these bastards from the third room of the Mines all the way to the area boss.

Hard Mode is actually pretty mild, except when you’re against fast shooters in close quarters. Those security drones can wreck you so fast it ain’t funny. At least a charged Plasma Beam shot can 1HKO drones and flying pirates.
 

Beer Baelly

Al Pachinko, Konami President
The wait for the physical release is killing me. This game will take me back to a happier time in my life. Such fond memories. Can't wait for the 22nd.

You mean March 3rd

brat-mad.gif
 

Bragr

Banned
After all these years, I still don’t know how to effectively deal with Trooper Pirates - the ones with elemental armor.
Their energy is just absurd, no other mob is that resistant and it makes the Phazon Mines a true chore. In Hard Mode the first descent into the Mines is maddening. These guys take like 5+ charged shots each, move around constantly, punch ridiculously hard, clearly anticipate your movements, and if they surround you it’s a miracle if you get out of the room alive. Your energy just melts away when you’re dealing with Troopers. I’ve read that Power Bombs can one-hit kill them, but you have so precious few of them and there’s so many of these bastards from the third room of the Mines all the way to the area boss.

Hard Mode is actually pretty mild, except when you’re against fast shooters in close quarters. Those security drones can wreck you so fast it ain’t funny. At least a charged Plasma Beam shot can 1HKO drones and flying pirates.
They seem to have wanted the pirate base in the mines to be a place to fear. Most of the game is pretty easy, it's only the elemental pirates that really make you suffer, especially that fucking hallway with all the invisible ones.

However, the elemental pirates are all built to be stun locked. The purple wave and ice ones freeze in place by charged shots, and the yellow ones can get super missle fucked. I think you are supposed to use cover and inch your way forward, fighting one and one, but it doesn't work that well as they love to rush you in some places.
 

Bragr

Banned
I've been enjoying reading all the reactions and impressions from first-timers just as much as I've been enjoying playing through the game again myself.
I'm actually surprised at how many new people like the game.

I wonder what they will say when they finish it though, as the backtracking during the artifact hunt can get too extreme, and a lot of people stop playing during the Phazon mine area. The game does require some patience toward the end.
 

NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
They seem to have wanted the pirate base in the mines to be a place to fear. Most of the game is pretty easy, it's only the elemental pirates that really make you suffer, especially that fucking hallway with all the invisible ones.

However, the elemental pirates are all built to be stun locked. The purple wave and ice ones freeze in place by charged shots, and the yellow ones can get super missle fucked. I think you are supposed to use cover and inch your way forward, fighting one and one, but it doesn't work that well as they love to rush you in some places.
I believe the invisible ones are all Shadow Pirates? Vulnerable to everything, very weak against plasma, and easily visible with the Thermal Visor.

I think the exceedingly high HP of the Troopers just ruins the flow of the action. They’re too slow at dying and too quick at shooting. The mines are a true grind. The devs knew perfectly well you’d have to go through them multiple times, so those Troopers rooms do rise up the tension the first time, but are just an annoyance the second time around. There was no need to put FOUR Ice Troopers in a room when two or three can easily wreck you anyway, and the Ice Beam is already so painfully slow.

Truth is, the Phazon Mines ooze atmosphere, but they’re easily the least entertaining part of the game. Too long, too slow, too annoying, and a bit cheap in a couple of instances.
 

SCB3

Member
It’s just really linear. Some nice bosses, though.
Yea issue with a lot of Wii games tbh


So I'm entering the Phendrana Drifts, I love this area a lot, one of the best Snow levels in gaming to look at, even in the original

I have a question though, was the same team that did this music the same as Zelda TP and SS? Its very similar in themes for the different biomes, the Fire areas in particular
 

MagnesD3

Member
I love 3, don’t know what people have against it. But on the other hand I also don’t get the love for 2…

1>3>2, imo.
Yeah I literally just finished 3 for the first time today and agree with this. 3 has really cool levels you go to, I like it's Grapple mechanics, most of its wii motion stuff works well, lots of fun boss fights, neat lore, getting screw attack before the game is over and I really appreciate them trying to add another use to Energy Tanks.

Where 3 falters is it's lack of feeling like a cohesive world in a Metroid Game, lack of lonely atmosphere, weird linearity, sometimes gimmicky wii stuff, too much power reward reuse, hyper upgrade stuff was meh and could make boss fights annoying if you ran out and had to build more over a long period if time in the fights.

2 is good too but it's problems we're more annoying for me, the worlds/art direction being bland, the dark world mechanic being very meh and very common but mechanically still being fun with fun boss encounters too.

To me Mp1 is still the only Amazing one out of the bunch while the Sequels are just good.

A big problem with those sequles is they really don't innovate in meaningful ways, it really does feel like your playing Metroid Prime Dlc in each one IMO compare it to a Zelda or Mario sequel where each game really tries alot of new stuff and tries to vastly improve on older mechanics, it's just a shame Metroid Prime doesn't get this kind of treatment. He'll even when they do a direct Sequel like Galaxy 2 they figure out the best parts of the previous game and just push what's there to it's limit while keeping its core strengths. I really hope Metroid Prime 4 tries to really Evolve but I doubt it will based on not enough people clamoring for that.
 
Last edited:

SCB3

Member
Yeah I literally just finished 3 for the first time today and agree with this. 3 has really cool levels you go to, I like it's Grapple mechanics, most of its wii motion stuff works well, lots of fun boss fights, neat lore, getting screw attack before the game is over and I really appreciate them trying to add another use to Energy Tanks.

Where 3 falters is it's lack of feeling like a cohesive world in a Metroid Game, lack of lonely atmosphere, weird linearity, sometimes gimmicky wii stuff, too much power reward reuse, hyper upgrade stuff was meh and could make boss fights annoying if you ran out and had to build more over a long period if time in the fights.

2 is good too but it's problems we're more annoying for me, the worlds/art direction being bland, the dark world mechanic being very meh and very common but mechanically still being fun with fun boss encounters too.

To me Mp1 is still the only Amazing one out of the bunch while the Sequels are just good.

A big problem with those sequlesis they really don't innovate in meaningful ways, it really does feel like your playing Metroid Prime Dlc in each one IMO compare it to a Zelda or Mario sequel where each game really tries alot of new stuff and tries to vastly improve on older mechanics, it's just a shame Metroid Prime doesn't get this kind of treatment. He'll even when they do a direct Sequel like Galaxy 2 they figure out the best parts of the previous game and just push what's there to it's limit while keeping its core strengths. I really hope Metroid Prime 4 tries to really Evolve but I doubt it will based on not enough people clamoring for that.
The big issue with Metroid now is both 2D and 3D versions are excellent but traditionally it doesn't sell, I believe Dread did very well ( and I'd love to see Samus Returns and maybe a remake of Metroid in this style as well ) so it'll be nice to see how Prime remastered did sales wise
 

Chiggs

Member
To me Mp1 is still the only Amazing one out of the bunch while the Sequels are just good.

I'll counter this, especially since you ranked 3 ahead of 2, which is almost inconceivable, given 3's atmosphere-destroying antics and Halo-esque presentation.

And while you're right that Prime 2 doesn't lay new ground, it simply doesn't need to because it completely improves what Prime gave us:
  • 90% of the time, Metroid Prime 2 makes backtracking a lot more refined and enjoyable because of how intelligently designed its world is.
    • Intelligent shortcuts also help create better pacing overall throughout the game.
  • Metroid Prime 2's world is cohesively constructed and thematically consistent--and while intentionally dark and dreary, it doesn't suffer from the jarring changes in scenery that Metroid Prime features, which, while faithful to Super Metroid's look and feel, doesn't make a whole lot of sense in a 3D world.
  • Metroid Prime 2's bosses are a thrill to fight, whereas I cannot say the same for half of Metroid Prime's bosses.
    • Quadraxis and Emperor Ing are absolutely incredible S-tier enemies.
  • The puzzles in Prime 2 are slicker and more fun than what we get in Prime.
  • Better platforming, courtesy of the Screw Attack.
  • No need to fire a shot to charge your weapon.
  • Missiles fire instantly; no need to switch barrels.
  • Cleaner HUD.
  • Better enemy AI.
  • Better scanning.
    • Color coded and with a percentages reference.
  • Better cut scenes.
  • Better visuals.
    • Sanctuary Fortress says "hi!"
  • Better logs.
  • Better, scarier story.
  • Better endings.
  • Equally memorable soundtrack.
My only gripe with Prime 2 is the time you spend sitting in a light pocket waiting for your health to recharge, but I'll take that over Prime's lack of meaningful shortcuts, leading to yet another trek through Magmoor Caverns, which is basically an extension of the Tallon Overworld, used to get the player to more important places.

Please don't take this as a slam against Prime...it's an incredible game. I just don't feel that Prime 2 gets the credit it deserves, and that's largely because it went up against Halo 2 and Half-Life 2 when it launched...and got lost in the shuffle. Just don't mention the multi-player. :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
Last edited:

Astral Dog

Member
Yeah I literally just finished 3 for the first time today and agree with this. 3 has really cool levels you go to, I like it's Grapple mechanics, most of its wii motion stuff works well, lots of fun boss fights, neat lore, getting screw attack before the game is over and I really appreciate them trying to add another use to Energy Tanks.

Where 3 falters is it's lack of feeling like a cohesive world in a Metroid Game, lack of lonely atmosphere, weird linearity, sometimes gimmicky wii stuff, too much power reward reuse, hyper upgrade stuff was meh and could make boss fights annoying if you ran out and had to build more over a long period if time in the fights.

2 is good too but it's problems we're more annoying for me, the worlds/art direction being bland, the dark world mechanic being very meh and very common but mechanically still being fun with fun boss encounters too.

To me Mp1 is still the only Amazing one out of the bunch while the Sequels are just good.

A big problem with those sequles is they really don't innovate in meaningful ways, it really does feel like your playing Metroid Prime Dlc in each one IMO compare it to a Zelda or Mario sequel where each game really tries alot of new stuff and tries to vastly improve on older mechanics, it's just a shame Metroid Prime doesn't get this kind of treatment. He'll even when they do a direct Sequel like Galaxy 2 they figure out the best parts of the previous game and just push what's there to it's limit while keeping its core strengths. I really hope Metroid Prime 4 tries to really Evolve but I doubt it will based on not enough people clamoring for that.
In some ways, the sequels are even better than the first Prime, but they are divisive because the stray away from what made Prime 1 the 'perfect' Metroid game,in the eyes of fans

The sequels mimic the first Prime but aren't traditional enough and take some risks that bother veteran fans/purists

Prime 2 has a lot going for it: has amazing atmosphere, a fresh storyline, higher difficulty, just as awesome music and more boss battles, but the dark world isn't easy to navigate and pales in comparison to the light world areas, some people are also not fond of the draining health gimmick

Corruption is an amazing FPS with a more story driven narrative, but fans complained that by fleshing out the Metroid world and introducing Voice Acting, it started resembling ither games and took away some of that Metroid atmosphere, also to focus on better action it was designed as more linear, wich pissed off some people.

Both games would be recieved much better today if released as remasters. 👌
 
Last edited:

MagnesD3

Member
I'll counter this, especially since you ranked 3 ahead of 2, which is almost inconceivable, given 3's atmosphere-destroying antics and Halo-esque presentation.

And while you're right that Prime 2 doesn't lay new ground, it simply doesn't need to because it completely improves what Prime gave us:
  • 90% of the time, Metroid Prime 2 makes backtracking a lot more refined and enjoyable because of how intelligently designed its world is.
    • Intelligent shortcuts also help create better pacing overall throughout the game.
  • Metroid Prime 2's world is cohesively constructed and thematically consistent--and while intentionally dark and dreary, it doesn't suffer from the jarring changes in scenery that Metroid Prime features, which, while faithful to Super Metroid's look and feel, doesn't make a whole lot of sense in a 3D world.
  • Metroid Prime 2's bosses are a thrill to fight, whereas I cannot say the same for half of Metroid Prime's bosses.
    • Quadraxis and Emperor Ing are absolutely incredible S-tier enemies.
  • The puzzles in Prime 2 are slicker and more fun than what we get in Prime.
  • Better platforming, courtesy of the Screw Attack.
  • No need to fire a shot to charge your weapon.
  • Missiles fire instantly; no need to switch barrels.
  • Cleaner HUD.
  • Better enemy AI.
  • Better scanning.
    • Color coded and with a percentages reference.
  • Better cut scenes.
  • Better visuals.
    • Sanctuary Fortress says "hi!"
  • Better logs.
  • Better, scarier story.
  • Better endings.
  • Equally memorable soundtrack.
My only gripe with Prime 2 is the time you spend sitting in a light pocket waiting for your health to recharge, but I'll take that over Prime's lack of meaningful shortcuts, leading to yet another trek through Magmoor Caverns, which is basically an extension of the Tallon Overworld, used to get the player to more important places.

Please don't take this as a slam against Prime...it's an incredible game. I just don't feel that Prime 2 gets the credit it deserves, and that's largely because it went up against Halo 2 and Half-Life 2 when it launched...and got lost in the shuffle. Just don't mention the multi-player. :messenger_tears_of_joy:

I didnt enjoy the backtracking as much because the world was less memorable, it made backtracking not only less enjoyable but more difficult because I didnt remember the locations as distinctly, im pretty sure there is less connection in 2 not more if I recall.

I remember enjoying Bosses in MP2 but none of them were very visually distinct minus the late game ones if I recall. I really dig the boss fights in MP1 but I feel like all the games have pretty fun boss fights tbh.

I will say the Screw Attack was the best new thing in Metroid Prime 2 but they pissed me off with it because you get it around the 75% or later mark and you barely get to use it, (thats why it was a plus in MP3 because you get it at the halfway mark at least but none of the games make you use it enough tbh).

The killer things that hurt MP2 the most for me was the World Visual Design, Dark World was just uninteresting mechanically (god that loading screen) and I didnt enjoy the Dark/Light guns and the only meaningfully interesting change was the Screw Attack which like I said is given way too late in the game. Also I was already becoming tired of Missile Upgrades being a meaningless reward in the 1st game and you just feel it even more in the 2nd and 3rd games. Really dislike how the Prime Sequels retread so much on old abilities without meaningful upgrades too that you should get back in the first 3-4 hours of the game if you take them away at all. I know this is apparently a Metroid thing but that doesnt make it a good thing.

The reason I rank 3 higher is because I liked the levels more than 2's world (even if I prefer the world method), I liked how they were giving a secondary use to the Health reward systems with the Hyper Mode, I liked the new grapple mechanics, the new control stuff was interesting and works well allowing for new enemy engagement (even though I still prefer a twin stick Halo setup, hope thats the MP4 standard designed from the ground up with that in mind personally) and I got to use the Screw Attack alot more than MP2. Even with my preference towards MP3 I actually would give both MP2 and MP3 the same review score 9.3 (Good) because MP3 definitely has negatives (like the solitude and world structure destruction you mentioned) many shared with MP2, where I would give the original MP1 a 9.6 (Amazing) it has the best world, best music, best lonely atmosphere and introduces you to all the great mechanics of the Metroid Prime series for the first time (best opening too).

In some ways, the sequels are even better than the first Prime, but they are divisive because the stray away from what made Prime 1 the 'perfect' Metroid game,in the eyes of fans

The sequels mimic the first Prime but aren't traditional enough and take some risks that bother veteran fans/purists

Prime 2 has a lot going for it: has amazing atmosphere, a fresh storyline, higher difficulty, just as awesome music and more boss battles, but the dark world isn't easy to navigate and pales in comparison to the light world areas, some people are also not fond of the draining health gimmick

Corruption is an amazing FPS with a more story driven narrative, but fans complained that by fleshing out the Metroid world and introducing Voice Acting, it started resembling ither games and took away some of that Metroid atmosphere, also to focus on better action it was designed as more linear, wich pissed off some people.

Both games would be recieved much better today if released as remasters. 👌
Idk man I think it innovates in the wrong areas, the only stuff I think is absolutely better off the top of my head is having Screw Attack be in there, more Grapple Mechanics and E Tanks doing something besides just being health.

About the Traditional thing I think the Sequels actually follow Traditions in the wrong ways, like the Spider Ball for example, why did I get that power up near the halfway point in MP1 and in MP3 I got it at the 75%-80% mark if not later like im sorry but that's just ridiculous, or god Missiles being the only upgrade and it just doesnt matter after the first 5 upgrades thats a bad tradition too. In Zelda at least the rewards are Health which does actually matter even if it can be a bit overdone. It almost comes off like the developers didnt completely understand what was the best parts about MP1 why it was such a classic and what its problems were that needed more development.

Things that should stay from MP1 for MP4 create a new interesting highly interconnected world with interesting distinct Biodiversity for each of its areas, the feeling of Solitude so minimal if any interaction with people who can talk to you (unless you go the dead space method were they die I guess), more amazing ost from the Super Metroid guy or someone like him cuz he kills it, and of course interesting brand new/old mechanics with meaningful evolutionary spins on their mechanics that you use to explore, solve puzzles and fight awesome bosses. And Ridley always bring Ridley. Otherwise its time to push forward and try to Evolve what Metroid Prime can be.

I actually think the Remaster could help make Prime 2's world stand out more because the original is such a dark purple, brown, bright white mess..

And yeah Id like to see a pretty Sky area (aka the place with Kingdom Hearts Music) and the Pirate Homeworld from MP3.
 
Last edited:
Honestly, I'm surprised there is so little knowledge about Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3 coming to switch. After seeing how phenomenal of a job Metroid Prime Remastered turned out to be, I would be immensely disappointed if Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3 weren't remastered (assuming Jeff Grubb is right about the two games coming to Switch) like the first game. The closest thing we have to more legitimate knowledge was "Belmont" from Resetera (yuck) https://www.resetera.com/threads/ni...ders-corroborate.490360/page-11#post-73958365
I could see Iron Galaxy and the other outsourcing groups taking the reins and making the Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3 remastered (I would hope that is what happened), but it is interesting that there is basically nothing to suggest that Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3 coming to Switch exists in any capacity.

Then again, would releasing all three Metroid Prime games in short order before Metroid Prime 4 cause series fatigue? Such a move could EASILY backfire on Nintendo. I don't think releasing all four would be a problem for Metroid fans (I'd buy all four in a heartbeat), but for the average consumer, how easy would it be for them to just say that they will "wait for a sale" because they still haven't played the three remastered games?
 

Chiggs

Member
Honestly, I'm surprised there is so little knowledge about Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3 coming to switch. After seeing how phenomenal of a job Metroid Prime Remastered turned out to be, I would be immensely disappointed if Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3 weren't remastered (assuming Jeff Grubb is right about the two games coming to Switch) like the first game. The closest thing we have to more legitimate knowledge was "Belmont" from Resetera (yuck) https://www.resetera.com/threads/ni...ders-corroborate.490360/page-11#post-73958365
I could see Iron Galaxy and the other outsourcing groups taking the reins and making the Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3 remastered (I would hope that is what happened), but it is interesting that there is basically nothing to suggest that Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3 coming to Switch exists in any capacity.

Then again, would releasing all three Metroid Prime games in short order before Metroid Prime 4 cause series fatigue? Such a move could EASILY backfire on Nintendo. I don't think releasing all four would be a problem for Metroid fans (I'd buy all four in a heartbeat), but for the average consumer, how easy would it be for them to just say that they will "wait for a sale" because they still haven't played the three remastered games?

I think the Iron Galaxy stuff is probable, if not an outright lock. I don't quite buy the fatigue argument, but you never know with Nintendo.
 

ADiTAR

ידע זה כוח
So I finished the game 100% on normal and hard, and just saw Max Dood playing and jumps with the ball. I never did a regular ball jumped once only using bombs. I totally forgot you can.
 
I think the Iron Galaxy stuff is probable, if not an outright lock. I don't quite buy the fatigue argument, but you never know with Nintendo.
They have done good job with Switch Ports in the past, so it would be a missed opportunity (if not by Nintendo, then by Iron Galaxy) to not continue using them for the remaining Prime games. The fatigue argument is just a pessimistic view on what could impact sales of Metroid Prime 4, not a Nintendo decision. I'm just saying I could see the average consumer ignore Metroid Prime 4 because they played the other three (re-released) games and are "tired of the formula."
 

ADiTAR

ידע זה כוח
They have done good job with Switch Ports in the past, so it would be a missed opportunity (if not by Nintendo, then by Iron Galaxy) to not continue using them for the remaining Prime games. The fatigue argument is just a pessimistic view on what could impact sales of Metroid Prime 4, not a Nintendo decision. I'm just saying I could see the average consumer ignore Metroid Prime 4 because they played the other three (re-released) games and are "tired of the formula."
I think/hope they mix up the formula in Prime 4. They need to shake up the formula and to shake up the genre, otherwise I could see fatigue.

Also, I wouldn't call it Metroid Prime 4, 4 will scare people they need to play the first 3.
 

Stratostar

Member
I'm actually surprised at how many new people like the game.

I wonder what they will say when they finish it though, as the backtracking during the artifact hunt can get too extreme, and a lot of people stop playing during the Phazon mine area. The game does require some patience toward the end.
For its target audience, I believe MPR is actually a fairly accessible game on the Switch. The wealth of control options allow you to play the way you're most comfortable, and the hint system does wonders to keep that sense of progression going for those who get stuck. Sure, backtracking can be mildly annoying at times, but in my experience it's mostly in subsequent playthroughs before I've obtained the various traversal upgrades. But for first-timers, backtracking helps familiarize yourself with the layout of the world and improve your navigation efficiency. It didn't bother me my first time, personally.

I remember during my first playthrough of the game, I thought of the artifact hunt as a sidequest and would look for artifacts regularly, so by endgame I had far fewer than 12 to hunt down. Did most people really wait until the end to start looking for them? I can definitely see the hunt being a drag if I had to find all 12 consecutively.

The Phazon Mines section is hard the first time for sure, but I would agree with what you said in another comment, that it was meant to be something to dread and fear. It's late game, and your suit is substantially powered up at that point, so it's a fair difficulty spike imo.
 
Last edited:
I think/hope they mix up the formula in Prime 4. They need to shake up the formula and to shake up the genre, otherwise I could see fatigue.

Also, I wouldn't call it Metroid Prime 4, 4 will scare people they need to play the first 3.
Apparently Nintendo wasn't concerned about that with Pikmin 4.
 

Stratostar

Member
If Metroid Prime 2: Echoes doesn't receive the same treatment, then it's a crime against humanity. Metroid Prime 3, on the other hand, whatever...:messenger_tears_of_joy:
This I 100% agree with. Prime 3 would apparently be a "Herculean effort" to convert to normal controls, so I'm not holding my breath for that one (still an awesome game on the Wii), but if we don't get a "Remastered" visual remake of Echoes on the same level as MPR I'll riot.
 
Last edited:
This I 100% agree with. Prime 3 would apparently be a "Herculean effort" to convert to normal controls, so I'm not holding my breath for that one (still an awesome game on the Wii), but if we don't get Echoes I'll riot.
I know Skyward Sword is a guaranteed sales juggernaut, but if Nintendo was willing to put in the effort to port Skyward Sword with more "standard" controls, then I don't think that Metroid Prime 3 is off the table. My heart would be broken if Metroid Prime 2 doesn't get the same remastered treatment as Metroid Prime 1... Metroid Prime 3 I would still be heartbroken, but not devastatingly so.
 

Stratostar

Member
I know Skyward Sword is a guaranteed sales juggernaut, but if Nintendo was willing to put in the effort to port Skyward Sword with more "standard" controls, then I don't think that Metroid Prime 3 is off the table. My heart would be broken if Metroid Prime 2 doesn't get the same remastered treatment as Metroid Prime 1... Metroid Prime 3 I would still be heartbroken, but not devastatingly so.
I don't think it's off the table either, especially not if this game sells well.

IMO a full visual remake isn’t even that necessary for Prime 3, an upscale at 60fps would still look pretty sleek. If they can get it playable at all on Switch I'll buy it.
 
Last edited:

Sausy1987

Member
Are the lower difficulty settings in this making game more accessible than Dread ? I stopped playing that about half way through cos difficulty .
 

E-Cat

Member
Yea issue with a lot of Wii games tbh


So I'm entering the Phendrana Drifts, I love this area a lot, one of the best Snow levels in gaming to look at, even in the original

I have a question though, was the same team that did this music the same as Zelda TP and SS? Its very similar in themes for the different biomes, the Fire areas in particular
The music was done by Kenji Yamamoto, he’s never worked on Zelda.
 

ADiTAR

ידע זה כוח
The music was done by Kenji Yamamoto, he’s never worked on Zelda.
I hope he'll be back for MP4 because Dread's musical was dreadful (or non existent), tho I do hope that Nintendo can pay Daft Punk to reunite and do it (best thing about Tron).
 

NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
Are the lower difficulty settings in this making game more accessible than Dread ? I stopped playing that about half way through cos difficulty .
I’ve started a Easy run for shits and giggles and it’s a cakewalk, provided you don’t go yolo against groups of turrets or pirates.
 

Thaedolus

Member
Yea issue with a lot of Wii games tbh


So I'm entering the Phendrana Drifts, I love this area a lot, one of the best Snow levels in gaming to look at, even in the original

I have a question though, was the same team that did this music the same as Zelda TP and SS? Its very similar in themes for the different biomes, the Fire areas in particular
The song playing in Magmoor Caverns is basically note for note from Lower Norfair from Super Metroid…great track but I think having it in an area you go through so much kinda ruins it a bit. In Super Metroid it was in basically the hardest, most intimidating area of the game and you knew shit was getting real. Prime kinda overuses it
 

SCB3

Member
The song playing in Magmoor Caverns is basically note for note from Lower Norfair from Super Metroid…great track but I think having it in an area you go through so much kinda ruins it a bit. In Super Metroid it was in basically the hardest, most intimidating area of the game and you knew shit was getting real. Prime kinda overuses it
Ah thats where I reconise it from, I replayed Super about a year ago, first ever 100% run and remember that area
 

Beer Baelly

Al Pachinko, Konami President
The song playing in Magmoor Caverns is basically note for note from Lower Norfair from Super Metroid…great track but I think having it in an area you go through so much kinda ruins it a bit. In Super Metroid it was in basically the hardest, most intimidating area of the game and you knew shit was getting real. Prime kinda overuses it

Its my favorite Metroid song
 

nkarafo

Member
The song playing in Magmoor Caverns is basically note for note from Lower Norfair from Super Metroid…great track but I think having it in an area you go through so much kinda ruins it a bit. In Super Metroid it was in basically the hardest, most intimidating area of the game and you knew shit was getting real. Prime kinda overuses it

I agree. But i think the composer knew this and made the Prime version less "epic" and "threatening" i suppose. It sounds less dramatic and more mellow than the Super Metroid original. Also, not nearly as good as a result.
 

jorgejjvr

Gold Member
Am I the only crazy one playing with pointer controls? Feels the most accurate and responsive

For some reason dual sticks feel stiff and not the greatest responsiveness even at max sensitivity. And adding gyro isn't having the same effect as Splatoon for example.
 
Last edited:

ADiTAR

ידע זה כוח
Am I the only crazy one playing with pointer controls? Feels the most accurate and responsive

For some reason dual sticks feel stiff and not the greatest responsiveness even at max sensitivity. And adding gyro isn't having the same effect as Splatoon for example.
In Splatoon the main movement is the gyro and the joystick for me is just for adjustments, here it's the opposite I feel because they don't give you the option to adjust the sensitivity on gyro for dual sticks.

Also I kept pressing the Y button to reset the camera like Splatoon, and I'm a ball.
 

jorgejjvr

Gold Member
In Splatoon the main movement is the gyro and the joystick for me is just for adjustments, here it's the opposite I feel because they don't give you the option to adjust the sensitivity on gyro for dual sticks.

Also I kept pressing the Y button to reset the camera like Splatoon, and I'm a ball.
Yeah, gyro is the main form of aim there, and I love it. Not here, it's very odd. Gyro could have been the way to go, but not due to the way it's implemented. Again, this makes me find Pointer to be the best method. I can accurately aim exactly where I want to and feels good
 

Trunx81

Member
Hunting for the Gravity Suit Right now, and while you are talking about shortcuts: I totally overlooked the magnetic band at the elevator and moved through the whole area again. Could have saved at least 10 minutes.

Still in love with this game. Remembering the struggle I had 20 years ago, now it’s a breeze to move elegantly through enemy lines, locking on target, turning to the next one and eliminating them.

Let’s hope the Phazon Mines won’t stop my enthusiasm …
 

SCB3

Member
Yeah, gyro is the main form of aim there, and I love it. Not here, it's very odd. Gyro could have been the way to go, but not due to the way it's implemented. Again, this makes me find Pointer to be the best method. I can accurately aim exactly where I want to and feels good
I liked the Wii Controls for the Prime Trilogy, they worked really well and could here, I play at a desk mainly so Dual Stick works fine for me

For some reason I cannot get used to Gyro controls, believe me I've tried with Splatoon 2 and 3 and never gelled with them
 

jorgejjvr

Gold Member
I liked the Wii Controls for the Prime Trilogy, they worked really well and could here, I play at a desk mainly so Dual Stick works fine for me

For some reason I cannot get used to Gyro controls, believe me I've tried with Splatoon 2 and 3 and never gelled with them
Works well in Splatoon for me, just not here.
 

22•22

NO PAIN TRANCE CONTINUE
Saw the DF this morning. So enticing. I'm guessing it's 60€ which will make me pass hard atm. =/(
 

K' Dash

Member
YtyN5e7.jpg


Final Thoughts:

Pros:
  • Beautiful visuals and immaculate audio.
  • Incredibly atmospheric.
  • All of the areas are a pleasure to explore.
  • Space Pirates are thoroughly vicious...especially those yellow pricks.
  • Decent enemy variety.
  • Meta Ridley makes you think he's a wimp, then he lands on the ground and shit gets real.
  • Final boss is extremely satisfying.
  • Dual analog controls = :messenger_sunglasses:

Cons:
  • Backtracking inflates the play time by about 3-4 hours.
    • While it's fun to grab new/hidden items, and access previously closed-off areas, the journey there isn't always that entertaining.
      • This is where Metroid Prime 2 blows the doors off Metroid Prime; the backtracking is handled better.
  • Chozo Ghosts = :poop:
  • Not enough boss fights.
    • Again, an area where Metroid Prime 2 shines bright like a 💎.
  • Not enough puzzles.
    • Another area where Metroid Prime 2 = :messenger_ok:.

All in all, a fantastic effort well worth the $40. If Metroid Prime 2: Echoes doesn't receive the same treatment, then it's a crime against humanity. Metroid Prime 3, on the other hand, whatever...:messenger_tears_of_joy:
It’s like I’m writing this myself, except for the MP3 part, I fucking love it, just not as much as Echoes.

IMO Echoes is perfection, it just better than Prime in every single way.
 

NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
Saw the DF this morning. So enticing. I'm guessing it's 60€ which will make me pass hard atm. =/(
It's 40€.


Am I the only crazy one playing with pointer controls? Feels the most accurate and responsive

For some reason dual sticks feel stiff and not the greatest responsiveness even at max sensitivity. And adding gyro isn't having the same effect as Splatoon for example.
Pointer controls is absolutely the best option. You get lock-on + free aim, the best of both worlds, and it's faster and more accurate than twin sticks.
On the Switch the default pointers option needs frequent recalibration, but if you disable the "free aim while locked on target" option it gets much more reliable. Stable lock-on is a must anyway, the game was made around it. Some bosses benefit from free aim (Flaaghra is a good example), but the second-to-last boss fight is a nightmare without lock-on.




I'll counter this, especially since you ranked 3 ahead of 2, which is almost inconceivable, given 3's atmosphere-destroying antics and Halo-esque presentation.

And while you're right that Prime 2 doesn't lay new ground, it simply doesn't need to because it completely improves what Prime gave us:
While I liked Prime 2 immensely, I think it's missing something that was there in Prime 1. I'll discuss some of your points:

90% of the time, Metroid Prime 2 makes backtracking a lot more refined and enjoyable because of how intelligently designed its world is.
  • Intelligent shortcuts also help create better pacing overall throughout the game.
The game's world is still enormous though, and it opens up completely only towards the end. What Retro did with Prime 2's map is endlessly amazing, but backtracking is still quite the pain. Especially when you throw in the dark world and its non-interconnected pieces. Going back to clean up those early sections always makes my head spin. There's also a lot of dead ends that are pretty far from everything else, and almost all of them hide something.
Prime 2 is all too happy to close doors behind you as you progress to not make the world map seep too daunting, but in doing so it doesn't help the player understand its connections until much later. I always hate how beating the Grapple Guardian changes the configuration of those rooms completely, preventing an easy return when you inevitably need to come back to get something you can't access the first time through. And there's that moment when you need to find the Seeker Launcher that somehow always leaves me stumped for a while. One wrong turn in Prime 2 leads to a lot of backtracking, shortcuts or no shortcuts.
I also didn't much care for the need to return to the great temple every time you beat a major boss.

Metroid Prime 2's bosses are a thrill to fight, whereas I cannot say the same for half of Metroid Prime's bosses.
  • Quadraxis and Emperor Ing are absolutely incredible S-tier enemies.
My Hard-mode Quadraxis fight will always be one of my most precious gaming memories. It's by far the best boss battle in all of Metroid, and one of the best in gaming period. Prime can't really compete there except for the final battle, which is fantastic (if quite formulaic, and a bit too long).
One thing that's pretty horrible in Prime 2 is all those bosses named like "Item-X Guardian". I still can't believe they couldn't find proper names for them.

Better platforming, courtesy of the Screw Attack.
I'm not really fond of that thing. Its timing is a little finicky, and it's pretty much only used to get a bunch of items. Not really feasible as a traversal tool, with a few exceptions.

No need to fire a shot to charge your weapon.
Yeah, but on the other hand, having finite special ammo raises resource management concerns that, while not as extreme as in, say, Doom Eternal, still break the game's flow a little too often in the earlier parts. It's nice to have powerful, quick-shooting weapons after the Wave Beam and the Ice Beam though.

Better scanning.
  • Color coded and with a percentages reference.
Dunno about that. When you have several scannable elements close to each other it gets confused more easily than Prime's.

Equally memorable soundtrack.
Disagree. Prime 1's OST is etched into my brain permanently. Prime 2's is sort of "just there" for me.





Back to the remaster, I can say that the boss of the Mines was a cinch using Power Bombs to quickly get rid of its minions, and that was in Hard Mode. Probably the easiest he's ever been for me. The final battle was a little tense and certainly too long, but I did it. I got 100% scans and 100% items. Oh, about that: your scans are not deleted if you start a new game on the same save file, so you'll only have to worry about the scans you may have missed the first time around.
There were some missile tanks I had completely forgotten about after all these years, and I had to look up a guide for a couple of those. I thought I had Phendrana completely wrapped up - turned out it was the region where I'd missed the most stuff!

The only downside to this remaster is that they've somehow made Samus ugly (and she wasn't really the looker in the original, too). She looks nothing like the magnificent high-res scan you can get in the extras. Apart from that, this is still one of the best games you can play on any system from any era of gaming. There's really nothing like it.
 

jorgejjvr

Gold Member
It's 40€.



Pointer controls is absolutely the best option. You get lock-on + free aim, the best of both worlds, and it's faster and more accurate than twin sticks.
On the Switch the default pointers option needs frequent recalibration, but if you disable the "free aim while locked on target" option it gets much more reliable. Stable lock-on is a must anyway, the game was made around it. Some bosses benefit from free aim (Flaaghra is a good example), but the second-to-last boss fight is a nightmare without lock-on.





While I liked Prime 2 immensely, I think it's missing something that was there in Prime 1. I'll discuss some of your points:


The game's world is still enormous though, and it opens up completely only towards the end. What Retro did with Prime 2's map is endlessly amazing, but backtracking is still quite the pain. Especially when you throw in the dark world and its non-interconnected pieces. Going back to clean up those early sections always makes my head spin. There's also a lot of dead ends that are pretty far from everything else, and almost all of them hide something.
Prime 2 is all too happy to close doors behind you as you progress to not make the world map seep too daunting, but in doing so it doesn't help the player understand its connections until much later. I always hate how beating the Grapple Guardian changes the configuration of those rooms completely, preventing an easy return when you inevitably need to come back to get something you can't access the first time through. And there's that moment when you need to find the Seeker Launcher that somehow always leaves me stumped for a while. One wrong turn in Prime 2 leads to a lot of backtracking, shortcuts or no shortcuts.
I also didn't much care for the need to return to the great temple every time you beat a major boss.


My Hard-mode Quadraxis fight will always be one of my most precious gaming memories. It's by far the best boss battle in all of Metroid, and one of the best in gaming period. Prime can't really compete there except for the final battle, which is fantastic (if quite formulaic, and a bit too long).
One thing that's pretty horrible in Prime 2 is all those bosses named like "Item-X Guardian". I still can't believe they couldn't find proper names for them.


I'm not really fond of that thing. Its timing is a little finicky, and it's pretty much only used to get a bunch of items. Not really feasible as a traversal tool, with a few exceptions.


Yeah, but on the other hand, having finite special ammo raises resource management concerns that, while not as extreme as in, say, Doom Eternal, still break the game's flow a little too often in the earlier parts. It's nice to have powerful, quick-shooting weapons after the Wave Beam and the Ice Beam though.


Dunno about that. When you have several scannable elements close to each other it gets confused more easily than Prime's.


Disagree. Prime 1's OST is etched into my brain permanently. Prime 2's is sort of "just there" for me.





Back to the remaster, I can say that the boss of the Mines was a cinch using Power Bombs to quickly get rid of its minions, and that was in Hard Mode. Probably the easiest he's ever been for me. The final battle was a little tense and certainly too long, but I did it. I got 100% scans and 100% items. Oh, about that: your scans are not deleted if you start a new game on the same save file, so you'll only have to worry about the scans you may have missed the first time around.
There were some missile tanks I had completely forgotten about after all these years, and I had to look up a guide for a couple of those. I thought I had Phendrana completely wrapped up - turned out it was the region where I'd missed the most stuff!

The only downside to this remaster is that they've somehow made Samus ugly (and she wasn't really the looker in the original, too). She looks nothing like the magnificent high-res scan you can get in the extras. Apart from that, this is still one of the best games you can play on any system from any era of gaming. There's really nothing like it.
Glad I'm not crazy, I tried all the methods, and pointer is totally the best. Wish right stick could also work as camera just for a smoother 180 full turn. But still feels the best

Do you use joy cons or pro controller for pointer?
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom